Switch-rod mechanism.



No. 830,089. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906. G. C. LUCAS. SWITCH ROD MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2a. 1906.

i N Aw u v- 6 xx ii Q A; U

. rrE srA'rEs ATENT OFFICE.

SWITCH-ROD MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed May 28,1906- Serial No. 319,123-

To a who/rt it may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. LUCAS, a

citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch- Rod Mechanism; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in switch-rod mechanism, and pertains more especially toa safety switch-rod mechanism comprising a bracket which is adapted to be secured to one of the switch-rails, a switchrod adapted to be secured to the other switchrail, and an upright adjusting-bolt extend.- ing loosely through the switch-rod, with the bracket extending over and under the boltengaged portion of the switch-rod, ndth two eccentrics formed upon or operatively con nected with the bolt and arranged within and operatively connected with the bracket at the top and bottom, respectively, of the switch-rod, so that the said members are adjusted relative to each other by simply turning the bolt without necessitating any Withdrawal or endwise shifting of the bolt.

Another object is to provide the switch-rod with a wrench-forming plate or bar which is removably attached to the switch-rod and is provided with a portion overhanging the aforesaid bracket, with the bracket-overhanging portion of the bar operatively connected with but removable from the aforesaid adjusting-bolt, so that the said bar is not only instrumental in locking the adjusting-bolt against being turned accidentally, but upon detachment from the switch-rod can be manipulated as a wrench in turning the bolt to change the relative adjustment of the bracket and switch-rod.

Another object is to provide the adjustingbolt with two cooperating eccentrics arranged, respectively, above and below the switch-rod, and thereby form a desirable and adequate operative connection between the bracket and the bolt both above and below the switch-rod.

Another object of this invention is to render the means employed in relatively adjusting the bracket and the switch-rod simple and durable in construction and con venient, safe, and reliable in its operation.

WVith these objects in view and to the end of realizing other advantages hereinafter ap- M pearing this inventlon consists in certa1nfea tures of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan of switch-rod mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, largely in central longitudinal section. In Fig. 2 the bracket of the switch-rod mechanism is shown attached to one of the switchrails, which is shown in position relative to one of the main rails of a railnuy-track. Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sections on lines 3 3 and 4 4, respectively, Fig. 2, looking downwardly.

Referring to the (hawings, A indicates a bracket which is adapted to be secured to one of the switch-rails. The bracket A is only shown secured to the connectedswitchrail 13 in Fig. 2, which also illustrates the said switch-rail in position relative to the adjacent main rail 0 of a railway-track. The bracket A is provided with a recessed portion a, which is provided centrally between the upper and lower surfaces thereof with a recess 5, which is arranged horizontally and extends longitudinally of and laterally through the said recessed portion of the bracket. The recess 5 is engaged by the switch-rod D, which is adapted to be secured to the other switch-rail in the usual manner. The switch-rod D extends laterally through the recess 5.

An upright adjusting-bolt G, employed in adjusting the bracket A and switch-rod D relative to each other, extends vdrtically through the recessed portion a of the said bracket and through a circular hole (Z formed in the switch-rod. The bolt G is provided with a square or polygonal head g, .which overlaps and rests upon and is arranged wholly externally of the recessed portion a of the bracket A. Next below its head 9 the bolt has an integral eccentric portion 8, which snugly engages a circular hole 6 in the top wall of the recess 5 and is arranged wholly externally and above the switch-rod D. The shank of the bolt snugly engages but is turnable within the hole I) in the switchrod and below the switch=rod is provided with a flat side 12 and a downwardly-facing shoulder 13 at the upper end of the fiat surface 12. The fiattenedportion of the bolt is provided with an eccentric 14, which is operatively connected with the bolt, being pro-- vided internally with a flatsurface 15, which overlaps and conforms to the flat side 12 of the bolt-shank. The eccentric 14 cooper ates with the eccentric 8 and snugly occupies a circular hole 7 in the bottom wall of the recess '5 and is arranged wholly externally of and below the switch-rod D. It will be obthe adjustingbolt.

portion a of the bracket.

in forming stops for preventing endwise shifting of the adjusting-bolt. The lower eccentric 14 is provided at its upper end wlth an external annular shoulder 16, which is seated within a correspondingly annular en- 1 largement of the upper'end of the hole 7, and hence the eccentric is supported at its shoul- 3 der 16 from the bracket.

To look the adjusting-bolt in the desired adjustment, a wrench-forming plate or bar K is provided, which bar rests upon the switchrod in suitable proximity to the recessed portion a of the bracket A and is detachably secured to the switch-rod by a suitably-applied bolt Z and nut m. The bar K is arranged longitudinally of the switch-rod and has one end portion thereof raised and overhanging or overlapping the recessed portion a of the bracket and provided with a hole 7c, which extends vertically through the bracket-overhanging portion of the bar and is snugly engaged by and conforms to the head 9 of the bolt. the adjusting-bolt in the construction illustrated has a square head, the hole It in the bracket-overhanging portion-of the bar is also square. The 'bar K is therefore not only removably secured to but detachable from the switch rod and is operatively connected with and removable from the ad-justing-bolt, and consequently thesaid bar upon detaching it from the switch-rod by removing the bolt Z and nut 'm can be manipulated as a wrench in turning the adjusting-bolt to effect any requiredrelative adjustment of the switch-rod and bracket. Obviously an adjusting bolt having a square head, as

shown, is given a quarter-turn at a time in readjusting the bolt, and the wrench-forming member K upon lifting it from the bolt after a readjustment 'of the bolt can be reapplied to the head of the bolt in the position required to accommodate a reattachment of the'said Wrench-forming member to the switch-rod by the bolt Z and nut m.

By the construction hereinbefore described it will be observed that the bracket is not only adjustable endwise of the switch-rod, but the adjusting-bolt is operatively connected with the bracket both above and below the switch-rod; that the said bolt does not have to be removed or shifted endwise torel atively readjust the bracket and switch-rod; that the construction is safe, and that the means employed in looking the adjustingbolt to the switch-rod is simply and efficiently composed of a Wrench-forming member removably secured to but conveniently detachable from the switch-rod and having a portion embracing and conforming to but removable from the polygonal head of the bolt.

What I claim is 1. In switch-rod mechanism, the combination, with a switch-rod adapted to be secured to one of the switch-rails, and a bracket overlapping the upper and under sides and adjustable endwise of the rod and adapted to be secured to the other switch-rail, of an adj usting-bolt extending through the rod-overlapping portions of the bracket and loosely through the rod, which bolt has an integral eccentric portion snugly arranged and turn-' able within the bracket above the rod; a suitably-supported eccentric operatively mounted on the bolt and arranged snugly and turnable within the bracket below the rod, which eccentric has the dimensions and arrangement required to render it capable of coopera-ting with the first-mentioned eccentric, and means for locking the bolt against rotation.

2. In switch-rod mechanism, the combination with a switch-rod adapted to be secured to one of the switch-rails and having a bolthole, and a bracket overlapping the rod at the ends of the said bolt-hole and adjustable endwise of the rod and adapted to be secured to the other switch-rail, of an adjusting-bolt extending through the rod-overlapping portions of the bracket and loosely through the aforesaid bolt-hole, which bolt has an integral eccentric portion snugly arranged and turnable Within the bracket at one end of the aforesaid bolt-hole and has a flat side within the bracket at the other end of the said bolthole; a suitably-supported eccentric mounted on the bolt and arranged snugly and turnable within the bracket at the last-mentioned end of the said bolt-hole, which eccentric is provided with 'an internal flat surface opposite the flat side of the bolt and has the dimensions and arrangement required to ren der it capable of cooperating with the first mentioned eccentric, and means for locking the bolt against rotation.

3. In switch-rod mechanism, the combina tion, with a switch-rod adapted to be secured to one of the switch-rails and having a bolthole, and a bracket overla ping the rod at the ends of the said bolt-ho e and ad ustable endwise of the rod and adapted to be secured the other switch-rail, of an adjusting-bolt ex tending through the rod-overlapping portions of the bracket and loosely through the aforesaid bolthole, which bolt has an integral eccentric portion snugly arranged and turnable within the bracket at one end of the aforesaid bolt-hole; a suitably-supported eccentric operatively mounted on the bolt and arranged snugly and turnable within the bracket at the outer end of the said bolt-hole, which eccentric has the dimensions and arrangement required to render it capable of cooperating with the first-mentioned eccen tric; means for preventing endwise displacement of the bolt, and means for locking the bolt against rotation.

4. In switch-rod mechanism, the combination, with a switch-rod adapted to be secured to one of the switch-rails and having a bolthole, and a bracket overlapping the rod at the ends of the said bolt-hole and adjustable endwise of the rod and adapted to be sosured to the other switch-rail, of an adj ustingbolt extending through the rod-overlapping portions of the bracket and loosely through the aforesaid bolt-hole, whichbolt is operatively provided with two cooperating eccentries snugly arranged and turnable within the bracket at opposite ends respectively of the said bolt-hole; means for preventing endwise displacement of the bolt, and means for locking the bolt against rotation.

5. In switch-rod mechanism, the combination, with a bracket adapted to be secured to one of the switch-rails, which bracket is provided with a swit'clnrod-receiving recess extending laterally through the recessed portion of the bracket, and a switch-rod extending laterally through the recess and adapted to be secured to the other switch-rail, of an adjusting-bolt extending through the top wall and bottom wall of the recess and loosely through the switch-rod and provided with a head overlapping the upper side of the said top wall, which bolt has an integral eccentric portion snugly arranged and turnable within the last-mentioned wall; a suitablysupported eccentric operatively mounted on the bolt and snugly arranged and turnable in the aforesaid bottom wall and adapted to cooperate with the first-mentioned eccentric, and a nut on the bolt under the lower surface of the recessed portion of the bracket.

6. In switch-rod mechanism, the combination, with a bracket adapted to be secured to one of the switch-rails, which bracket is prothe bolt and snugly arranged and turnable within the aforesaid bottom wall, which eccentric is adaptcd to cooperate with the firstmentioned eccentric and has an external annular shoulder seated in the bracket, and means for locking the bolt against rotation.

7. In switch-rod mechanism, the combination, with a switch-rod ada )ted to be secured to one of the switch-rails and having a bolt-hole, and a bracket overlapping the red at the ends of the said bolt-hole and adjustable endwise of the rod and adapted to be secured to the other switclnrail, of an adjusting-bolt extending through the rod-overlapping portions of the bracket and loosely through the aforesaid bolt-hole, which bolt is operatively provided with two eccentrics snugly arranged and turnable within the bracket at opposite ends respectively of the said bolt-hole; means for turning the bolt, and means for locking the bolt-turning means to the switch-rod.

8. In switch-rod mechanism, the combination, with a bracket adapted to be secured to one of the switch-rails, and a switch-rod adapted to be secured to the other" switchrail, of an adjusting-bolt extending loosely through the bracket and loosely through the switch-rod and having a poly onal head arranged wholly exteriorly of the bracket, which bolt is provided with an eccentric within the bracket, and a wrench-forming plate or bar removably secured to the switchrod adjacent to the bracket and having a portion which overlaps the bracket and has a hole engaged by and conforming to the head of the bolt.

9. In switch-rod mechanism, the combination, with a bracket adapted to be secured to one of the switch-rails, and a switch-rod adapted to be secured to the other switchrail, of an adjusting-bolt extending loosely through the bracket and loosely through the switch-rod and having a head arranged wholly externally of the bracket, which bolt is provided with an eccentric portion within the bracket, and a wrench-forming member removably secured to the switch-rod adja cent the bracket and having a portion which overlaps the bracket and is operatively connected with the head of the bolt but removable from the said head upon detaching the wrench-forming member from the switchrod.

10. In switch-rod mechanism, the combi- IIS nation, with a bracket adapted to be secured In testimony whereof I sign the foregoing to one of the switch-rails, and a switch-rod specification in the presence of two wlt- 10 adapted to be secured to the other switchnesses.

rail and an eccentric-bolt for relatively adjusting the switch-rod and bracket, of a GEORGE LUCAS wrench-forming plate or bar operetively con- Witnesses:

neoted with the bolt and removably secured C. H DORER,

to the switch-rod. B. 0. BROWN. 

